What Type of Carpenter Do I Need?

The Confusion That Costs London Homeowners Money

If you search "carpenter London" you will find thousands of results. Plumbers who also fit kitchens. General builders who will "do carpentry". Joiners. Shopfitters. Cabinet makers. Fitted furniture specialists. Door hangers. The terms are used inconsistently, and most homeowners have no clear way to evaluate whether the person they hire is actually qualified for the specific task at hand.

This guide explains the different types of carpenter, what they are actually trained and equipped to do, and — critically — what separates a tradesperson who will do a job from one who will do it properly.

First Principles: Wood Doesn't Lie

The quality of carpentry work is almost always visible. Gaps in skirting boards. Doors that don't hang level. Kitchen doors that don't align when closed. Wardrobe doors with visible gaps between panels. These are not imperfections to be accepted — they are evidence of someone who either lacks skill, lacks patience, or lacks the right tools. In London, where properties are expensive and renovation work is expensive, settling for "good enough" carpentry is a costly mistake.

First Fix Carpenter vs Second Fix Carpenter

In new build and major renovation projects, carpentry is split into first fix and second fix. First fix happens before plastering — structural timbers, stud walls, floor joists, roof structure. Second fix happens after plastering — skirting boards, architrave, door hanging, staircase fitting, kitchen fitting, built-in furniture. Most homeowners commissioning work on an existing London property need a second fix carpenter. First fix is for developers and major structural works.

Kitchen Fitter vs Carpenter

A kitchen fitter is a carpenter who specialises in kitchen installation. Not all carpenters fit kitchens, and not all kitchen fitters have broad carpentry skills. For a straightforward kitchen swap-out in a standard space, a specialist kitchen fitter is the right choice. For a kitchen that involves non-standard spaces, period features, bespoke joinery elements, or complex scribing to walls — you need a carpenter with kitchen fitting experience, not just a kitchen fitter. Doorz sits in this second category: we fit kitchens, but we bring carpentry knowledge to every job.

• Standard kitchen replacement in modern flat → kitchen fitter
• Kitchen in Victorian terrace with alcoves and chimney breast → carpenter with kitchen experience
• Kitchen with bespoke larder joinery or island with integrated cabinetry → joiner or bespoke carpenter
• Kitchen in listed property → specialist who understands listed building constraints

Door Hanger vs Carpenter

Door hanging sounds simple — but a door hung incorrectly will drop, stick, not latch or swing open on its own within months. Correct door hanging requires: accurate measurement of the opening, correct sizing of the door leaf (cutting to fit if required), morticing for hinges precisely to the correct depth, setting the hinge positions so the door swings true, fitting the latch keep in the correct position, and final adjustment. This takes time and skill. A carpenter who hangs doors regularly will do this correctly. A general labourer who has hung a few doors will often do it wrong in ways that are not immediately apparent.

For door fitting in London, Doorz specialises in exactly this — internal doors, fire doors, and all associated hardware, fitted correctly every time.

Joiner vs Carpenter

Strictly, a joiner works in a workshop making components — doors, staircases, window frames, fitted furniture — which a carpenter then installs on site. In practice, the terms are often used interchangeably, and many carpenters also do joinery work. If you need something made from scratch — a bespoke wardrobe, a specific door size, shelving to a non-standard dimension — you are looking for joinery capability, whether the person calls themselves a joiner or a carpenter.

What To Ask Before You Hire

• Can you show me photos of comparable work? (Kitchen fitting, door hanging, skirting and architrave in period properties)
• Are you VAT registered? (Indicates a business of reasonable size and legitimacy)
• Do you carry public liability insurance?
• Will you provide a written quote specifying exactly what is and isn't included?
• For fire doors specifically: are you familiar with BS 8214 and can you provide a compliance certificate?

See our kitchen fitting service, our door fitting service, and our bespoke carpentry page.